Shrimp burgers

Healthy baked shrimp burgers are an easy way to get that summery, eating-at-the-beach feeling without leaving home.

Are you familiar with shrimp burgers? If not, be prepared to become a fan.

My obsession with shrimp burgers started during a family beach vacation on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Based on a local's recommendation, we got some shrimp burgers from the famous Big Oak Drive In in Salter Path, adjacent to Emerald Isle.

Oh boy. Talk about summer on a bun.

Being The Ninj, of course, I decided I needed to try to recreate these beauties at home. After years of trying lots of recipes and variations both by me and my mother-in-law, who is a much better cook than I am, we gave up. Somehow, neither of us could find the right mix that would give us the flavor we wanted yet still hold together well enough to be eaten as a burger in a bun.

Until now, that is.

Now, mind you, the flavor of these shrimp burgers is a little different than those of Big Oak fame, but I don't care. Not so long as I can have a beloved shrimp burger that won't crumble into a mound of individual shrimp pieces after the first bite. Plus, mine are just a wee bit healthier.

The funny thing is, the original recipe that inspired my shrimp burgers wasn't really intended to be a burger at all but a shrimp cake. Plus, it called for frying the cakes in quite a bit of oil. And you know I'll never fry when I can bake or roast to make a recipe healthier while also keeping my stovetop clean.

Win win.

I served these shrimp burgers on toasted whole wheat buns with a shmear of Sriracha mayonnaise (just mix together a little mayo and Sriracha) and some lettuce leaves. If you're more into low-carb eating, just omit the bun. Or maybe substitute some tartar sauce, if that's how you roll.

However you serve them, you're going to fall in love with shrimp burgers. Dudes: It's summer on a bun.

Familiar with shrimp burgers? Been to the Big Oak? Just willing to give them a try? Leave a comment: The Ninj wants to know.

Shrimp Burgers

(adapted from Food and Wine)

Psst: If you want to make your shrimp burger a bit more Big Oak-ish, top it with some coleslaw and hot sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped
• 3/4 cup panko
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. With moistened hands (it gets a bit sticky), form the mixture into 6 equal patties and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through.

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